Pressure-mediated binding of biomolecular complexes

The invention relates to (1) pressure-mediated dissociation of an analyte complexed with an endogenous binding partner to enable detection of a complex formed from the analyte and an exogenous binding factor, (2) pressure-mediated association of an analyte and an exogenous binding partner to enable more rapid and/or more sensitive detection of an analyte, and (3) pressure-mediated association and dissociation of biomolecular complexes to enable separation of one biomolecule from a complex mixture. Pressure can be used to improve assays by dissociating endogenous analyte complexes and improving assay speed and sensitivity by associating the analyte molecules with exogenously supplied binding partners. Pressure can also be used to improve the separation of compounds from contaminated mixtures.Methods of assaying an analyte in a sample having an endogenous complex between the analyte and an endogenous sample component include dissociating the analyte from the endogenous component using pressure and reacting the analyte with an exogenously supplied specific binding reagent to determine complexation between the analyte and the binding reagent.